In the following tutorial, you will learn how to create a post-apocalyptic text effect using display sans serif fonts, some textures, and a photo.
Mad Max, The Last of Us, Borderlands, and The Walking Dead are just a few of the games and TV productions that explore post-apocalyptic scenarios. Inspired by these stories, but mainly by the dystopian scenes of Mad Max, the following design tries to express the scorched wastelands of a world ravaged by chaos and desolation.
If you don’t have the time to create this post-apocalyptic aesthetic, then Envato Elements is the solution. This subscription-based marketplace has over 2,000 Illustrator add-ons you can download without restrictions! Check it out, and you’ll find some nice post-apocalyptic fonts.
What You’ll Learn in This Tutorial
What You’ll Need
You will need the following resources to complete this post-apocalyptic text effect:
1. How to Create a New Document and Save a Pattern
Step 1
Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, set the Width to 850 px and the Height to 610 px, and then click that Advanced Options button. Select RGB for the Color Mode, set the Raster Effects to Screen (72 ppi), and then click the Create button.
Enable the Grid (View > Show Grid or Control-“) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid or Shift-Control-“). You will need a grid every 5 px, so simply go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, and enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. Try not to get discouraged by all that grid—it will make your work easier, and keep in mind that you can easily enable or disable it using the Control-“ keyboard shortcut.
You should also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview of the size and position of your shapes. Don’t forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Units. All these options will significantly increase your work speed.
Step 2
Select Texture #1 from this pack of Vector Grunge Stripes Textures. Drag it into your document, make it about 860 px wide, and set the color to R=207 G=9 B=48.
Simply drag it into the Swatches panel (Window > Swatches) to save it as a pattern. Once you have the pattern, feel free to remove the texture.
2. How to Create a Post-Apocalyptic Background
Step 1
Download this cracked earth photo and drag it into your Illustrator document. Select it and focus on the Control panel (Window > Control).
Make sure that Constrain Width and Height Proportions is checked, and set the Width to 920 px. Set the Alignment to Artboard and then click the Horizontal Align Center and Vertical Align Center buttons to easily move your photo to the center of the artboard.
Step 2
Make sure that your photo is still selected and add a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Keep it selected and focus on the Control panel. First, click the Image Trace button, and then open the Image Trace panel using the highlighted button.
Click that Advanced button to get access to all the settings of your tracing, and then enter all the settings shown below. Don’t forget to check the Ignore Color box and select the color white. Once you’re done, return to the Control panel to click the Expand button. This will turn your tracing into a group of vector paths. Just press Control-8 (or go to Object > Compound Path > Make) to instantly turn this group of paths into a single compound path.
Step 3
Select your compound path and replace the existing fill color with R=207 G=9 B=48.
Step 4
Make sure that your compound path is still selected, and go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -1.5 px, click OK, and then fill the resulting path with R=253 G=226 B=25.
Step 5
Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create an 860 x 610 px shape and move it to the center of the artboard.
Keep it selected, open the Gradient panel (Window > Gradient), and click the Radial Gradient button to fill your rectangle with a radial gradient. Select the gradient sliders one by one and set the color to black (R=0 G=0 B=0), and then select only the left one and lower its Opacity to 0%.
Switch to the Gradient Tool (G) and use it to stretch your applied gradient as shown below, and then open the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance). Click that tiny arrow button to expand the settings of the existing fill, and change its Blending Mode to Overlay.
Step 6
Keep your rectangle selected and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the existing fill and duplicate it using the Duplicate Selected Item button.
Select the new fill, change its Blending Mode to Soft Light, and then move to the Gradient panel. Just select the right gradient slider and replace the existing color with R=81 G=49 B=30.
Step 7
Keep your rectangle selected, focus on the Appearance panel, and use the Add New Fill button to add a third fill.
Select it, change its Blending Mode to Soft Light, and then apply the radial gradient shown below. Don’t forget to use the Gradient Tool (G) to stretch the gradient roughly as shown in the following image.
3. How to Create the First Post-Apocalyptic Text
Step 1
Pick the Type Tool (T) and focus on the Control panel to choose the settings for the text that you’re about to add. Select the Sovereign font, set the Size to 160 pt, and don’t forget to check the Align Center button.
Now, you can click on your artboard and type in “LAND”. Make it white.
Step 2
Make sure that your text is still selected and add a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Make it black and lower the Size to 145 pt.
Step 3
Go to Edit > Preferences > General (Control-K) and set the Keyboard Increment to 10 px.
Select your black text and move it 10 px down by pressing the Down Arrow key once. Once it’s moved, press Control-[ to move your black text behind the white text.
Step 4
Select your black text and add a copy in the back (Control-C > Control-B). Keep this copy selected and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter all the settings shown below and click OK.
Step 5
Select your white text and simply press Control-C to copy it. You’ll need the copy later.
Step 6
Select your black text and replace the black with R=80 G=0 B=0, and then select the white text and replace the white with R=207 G=9 B=48.
Select both of these pieces of text and go to Object > Blend > Make, and then go to Object > Blend > Blend Options. Select Specified Steps from the Spacing menu and enter 30 in that box. Click OK, and your blend should look as shown in the second image.
Step 7
Press Control-F to add a copy of that white text. Select it and replace the white with R=253 G=226 B=25, and then go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the settings shown below, and click OK.
Step 8
Download this set of Vector Grunge Textures and open the file named “EE_Grunge_02”. Copy the texture highlighted in the following image.
Return to your post-apocalyptic text effect and paste that copied texture. Rotate and scale it roughly as shown below, and then set the fill color to R=207 G=9 B=48.
Step 9
Reselect your yellow text. Press Control-C to copy it and then Control-Shift-V to add a copy in the same place, but on top of the rest of your design. Make this new text white, and don’t forget to remove the existing Inner Glow effect (from the Appearance panel).
Now, select your white text along with the rust texture that lies in the back, open the Transparency panel (Window > Transparency), and click the Make Mask button.
Step 10
Make sure that your masked texture is still selected, lower its Opacity to 70%, and change the Blending Mode to Color Burn.
4. How to Create the Second Post-Apocalyptic Text
Step 1
Pick the Type Tool (T) and select the Atone font. Set the Size to 200 pt and keep the Align Center button checked.
Now click on your artboard and type in “WASTE”. Place it as shown below.
Step 2
Before we continue, let’s make a small adjustment to the text. Use the Type Tool (T) to select the letter “E” from your text, open the Character fly-out panel, and set the Baseline Shift to 20 pt. This will move your selected character 20 px up.
Step 3
Make sure that your “WASTE” text remains selected, and remove the existing color.
Move to the Appearance panel and add a fill for your text using that same Add New Fill button. Select this fill and set the color to R=253 G=226 B=25.
Step 4
Add a second fill for your “WASTE” text, and select it. Move it below the existing one, set the color to R=207 G=9 B=48, and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Drag both Move sliders to 7 px to move your selected fill 7 px down and 7 px to the right.
Step 5
Add a third fill for your “WASTE” text and select it. Move it below the existing one, set the color to R=81 G=49 B=30, and then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Drag both Move sliders to 15 px, click OK, and then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 5 px and click OK. Return to the Appearance panel and change the Blending Mode of this bottom fill to Color Burn.
Step 6
Add one last fill for your “WASTE” text, select it, and apply the pattern that we saved at the beginning of this tutorial. You can find it in the Swatches panel.
Step 7
To adjust the pattern we applied to our “WASTE” text, select the fill with the pattern and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform.
Most importantly, uncheck that Transform Objects box and keep the Transform Patterns box checked. Drag both Scale sliders to 50% to shrink the pattern, and set the Angle to -15 degrees to rotate your pattern.
Step 8
Finally, add one more rectangle on top of your entire post-apocalyptic illustration. Fill it with the radial gradient shown below, lower its Opacity to 50%, and change the Blending Mode to Overlay.
Congratulations! You’re Done
Here is how your post-apocalyptic aesthetic should look. I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects.
Feel free to adjust this post-apocalyptic design and make it your own. You can find some great sources of inspiration at Envato Elements, with interesting solutions to create post-apocalyptic logos.
Popular Assets From Envato Elements
Envato Elements is an excellent resource for post-apocalyptic aesthetics. Here’s a short list of some of the most popular designs and display sans fonts that you can find.
Post Apocalyptic Logo (AI, EPS, JPG, PDF)
Take it to the next level with this spooky post-apocalyptic logo. The design is 100% vector, so don’t worry if you need to scale it.
Robinson Press Font: Last of Us Font Alternative (OTF, TTF, WOFF)
The Last of Us is one of the more recent TV productions that comes to mind when thinking about post-apocalyptic scenarios. If you’re looking to create a logo that’s inspired by The Last of Us font, this might be the perfect solution.
Brokenz (OTF, TTF, WOFF)
Looking for an alternative to the Borderlands font? Check out this display sans font and create your own version of the Borderlands logo.
Apocalypse 13 Cyberpunk Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)
Here’s an original post-apocalyptic font that can help you add the mood of a dystopian future to any design.
Furiosa Font (OTF, TTF, WOFF)
Check out these bold brush characters if you’re looking to do a reinterpretation of the Mad Max font and logo.
Want to Learn More?
We have loads of tutorials on Envato Tuts+, from beginner to intermediate level. Take a look!